Telephone appliance



May 6, 1930.

E. MccNN 1,757,463 l TELEPHONE APPLIANCE Filed June l2, 1928 l EDWARD M/.CMN

ENT

ATTORNEY Patented May 6, 193i) P'ilEti'T FICE EDWARD MCCAN'N, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

This invention relates to an appliance for use with telephones of the kind comprising.

a device capable of being fitted over the usual telephone mouthpiece and serving to enable 5 a conversation to be carried on in comparative privacy. rThe invention consists in an improvement in appliances of this kind and has for its main purpose to provide an appliance capable of being readily attached to 10 and disconnected from a telephone mouthpiece so that it may be quickly attached when it is desired .to conduct a conversation. without being heard by other persons even when positioned close to the speaker.

A further object of the invention is to enable such a conversation to be carried on in low or normal speaking tones and to be clearly audible by the other party to the conversation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an appliance of the kind referred to which shall be more sanitary than those heretofore known.

The special features and advantages of my invention will appear more particularly from the following description and the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation partly in section on the line l-l of Fig. 2;

Figure 2 is a front elevation and;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation.

The appliance comprises a casing preferably of metal designated by the numeral l, this casing in the form illustrated being of cylindrical form and having its rear end 2 of a reduced crosssection. Fitting within said rear end 2 of the casing and preferably extending somewhat beyond it as illustrated in Figure l is a lining or gasket 3 of rubber or the like provided with an inwardly turned flange 4 seated against the end of an inwardly extending portion or flange 5 of the rear end 2 of the casing. This rubber lining or gasket 3 fits over the telephone mouthpiece and serves not only to exclude sound by insuring a close lit but by its resilience enables the appliance to be tted to mouthpieces of slightly varying size.

Extending transversely of the casing and APPLIANCE 1928. Serial No. 284,731.

clamped between said flange a and the end of a lining member 6 of rubber or equivalent material is a reticulated membrane or diaphragm 7 which as illustrated is' in the form of a wire mesh fabric preferably of line copper-nickeled net which serves to circulate the air and which has an important eifect in increasing the volume of normal tones and greatly improving the clarity of the speaking voice.

At its front or outer end the casing l is provided With an annular disk 8 forming a cover, the inner portion of which is bent inwardly and extended to form a tubular sound conduit 9 which as illustrated terminates short of the membrane 7. A lining 'or gasket l() fits snugly around the conduit 9. The mouthpiece 11 of the device of anysuitable material such a vulcanite is siu'liciently large to permit the lips of the user to be inserted therein without inconvenience and it is preferably elliptical with outwardly eX- tending points as shown in Figures l and 2. A tubular stem 12 of the mouthpiece ll lits frictionally in the conduit 9 and may readily be removed when desired for cleaning for instance.

The annular disk 8 is provided with holes 13 which add to the sanitary character of the device and to the comfort of the user by permitting the foul air to escape and furthermore by permitting circulation cf air assist in improving the volume and clarity of the voice.

If desired the vulcanite of which the mouthpiece is composed may have incorporated with it one or more ingredients, such as phenol which are permanently antiseptic.

By the use of my device it is impossible for a conversation to be overheard even at a short distance and a conversation can be conducted in privacy while the device enables a low or normal voice clearly to be heard at the other end of the line even in long distance connections. ltis not necessary in using my device to press the mouth tight into the mouthpieceY it being sufficient to hold the lips lightly againstthe mouthpiece.

What I claim and desire to protect by Let ters Patent is hraofm extendino' transversel i 1. A device of the character described comprising a casing one end of Which is adapted to be fitted over a telephone mouthpiece, a tubular sound conduit extending partly through the interior of said casing, a mouthpiece fitting into said conduit, and a reticulated membrane or diaphragm extending transversely of said casing.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a reduced end portion adapted to be fitted over telephone mouthpiece, a resilient lining membe" in said reduced portion, a tubular sound conduit extending partly through the interior of said casing, a mouthpiece fitting into said sound conduit, and a reticulated membrane or diaof said casing.

3. A' device of the character described comprising a casing, a resilient liner fitting within the rear end of said casing` a resilient liner fitting Within the front end of said casing, a reticulated membrane extending transversely of the casing and clamped between said two liners, a tubular 'sound conduit ez;- tending into said casing, and a'niouthpiece having a stem frictionaliy fitting Within said sound conduit.

4l. A device ofthe character described con prising a casing, a resilient liner fitting i. i' in the rear end of said casing, a resilient li fitting Within the front end of said casing. a reticulated membrane extending transversely of the casing and clamped between A said tWo liners, a tubular sound conduit entending into said casing but terminating short of said membrane, mouthpiece having a stem fitting Within said sound conduit, and means for permitting escape of foul air from said casing.

5. A device ofthe character described comprising a casing, a resilient liner fitting Within the rear end of said casing7 a resilient liner fitting Within the front end of said casing, a reticulated membrane extending transversely of the casing and clamped between said tWo liners, a tubular sound conduit extending into said casing but terminating short of said membrane a mouthpiece having a stem fitting Within said sound conduit, a resilient gasket snugly fitting around said sound conduit and means for permitting escape of foul air from said casing.

6. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a resilient liner fittingwvithin the rear end of said casing, a resilient liner fitting Within the frontend of said casing, a reticulated membrane extending transversely of the casing and clamped between said two liners, a tubular sound conduit ei;- tending into said casing, and an approxi mately elliptical mouthpiece having a stem frictionally fitting Within said sound conduit.

l 7 A device of the character described comprising a casing, a Wire mesh diaphragm eX- tending across the interior of said casing, a resilient liner Within the rear or inner end of the casing, a perforated annular disk forming a cover for the front or outer end of the casing, said disk being extended inwardly to form a tubular sound conduit and a mouthpiece having a stem fitting Within said sound conduit.

8. A device of the character described comri ing a casingE a Wire mesh diaphragm eX- tending across the interior said casing, a resilient liner Within the rear or inner end of the casing and projecting beyond the end thereof, a perforated annular disk forming a cover for the front or outer end of the casing, said disk being extended inwardly to form a tubular sound conduit and an approximately elliptical mouthpiece having Aa stem tting Within said sound conduit.

9. A device of the character described comprising a casing7 a Wire mesh diaphragm eX- tending across the interior of said casing, a resilient liner Within the rear or inner end of the casing and projectingbeyond the 

